Where the Sky & the Ocean Meet
by OhLookAnotherAuthor
Summary: Jason Grace develops feelings for a friend at Camp Half-Blood. Rated M for graphic male/male pairing.
1. Introduction

Introduction

_In which our hero sets the scene using literary devices such as foreshadowing, and finishes with a cliff-hanger to force you to read on, Brethren._

* * *

It isn't that I don't like my kinda-cousins or anything, but having to spend every moment of every day with them can get boring fast. Then again, it makes relationships all the more interesting.

I'm talking about Camp Half-Blood, of course. If you didn't get that – well, I guess you're too mortal to understand. I'm Jason – my dad's Zeus. Yep, _the_ Zeus. God of Lightning, King of the Gods, blah blah blah. Tell a girl your magic sword shoots lightning bolts and she'll never talk to you again. Take me word for it.

But this story isn't about all the girls I've scared off. In fact, it isn't about any girls at all. It's about a boy, a very special boy – his name is Percy Jackson.

I wasn't into other guys when all of this started. That's what made my time with Percy all the more special. It was forbidden; he had just broken up with his girlfriend (a dangerous one, might I add), I was still recovering from my relationship with Piper, and to top it off, our dads are brothers. Yessss.

This story takes place after our whole ordeal with Gaea ended. We finally came back to Camp Half-Blood, where I had decided to try living a semi-normal life. Things were looking up for once – no Roman Praetor duties, no Greek Quests to fight, and no monsters. _No monsters _– do you have any idea how great that is!? Anyway, things were good right until the Capture the Flag game that changed everything…


	2. Chapter 1 - My Annoying Cousins

Chapter 1 - My Annoying Cousins

_In which our hero talks to the son of the Death God Hades, and gets in Annabeth Chase's bad books. Don't worry, she's not usually this pissy._

* * *

Camp Half-Blood was way different after we came back from our Quest. There were even more Campers than before, if that was possible. New Cabins had to be built for the recruited children of the newly added minor Gods, and meals were now served in two shifts to keep up with all the hungry Demigod stomachs. On this particular afternoon, I was on my once-a-week guard duty. You know – protecting the Camp's border from whatever was outside. Thalia's Tree (minus Thalia, of course) stood its ground. The Golden Fleece hung in its higher branches, radiating power beyond that of even the Gods. Nothing – and I mean _nothing _– could get in without the permission of somebody already inside. And if someone were to do that, we'd have bigger problems than what's for dinner.

I had my Celestial gold sword sheathed, but my hand was on its handle. Not as a precaution, but as a force of habit. The familiar leather felt good, cool to the touch on this autumn afternoon. The weather inside the Camp was as good as it has ever been, but this close to the boundary I could see a storm brewing on the outside.

"Looks like your dad's got his panties in a twist, hu?"

I turned to see Nico Di Angelo, Pluto's son. I mean, Hades's. He wore black on black on black – nothing new.

"Does Chiron know you're here?" I walked over to him, my hand still on my sword. The guy didn't live here, but we weren't supposed to hack him to pieces on sight. He was supposedly on our side, but you never know.

"I'll let you do the honors of notifying him. Wouldn't want you bored to death on a Friday night, after all," he said mockingly. Something about the guy bugged me, but I kept my cool.

I shook my head. "My shift ends before dinner. I'm playing tonight."

He nodded, looking unimpressed. "Capture the Flag… classic."

I raised an eyebrow. "Will your highness be joining us?"

He chuckled. "You bet your little blonde ass I will." He suddenly disappeared into the shadows, and reappeared next to me. He leaned close to my ear, and whispered. "Watch your back, Jason Grace."

* * *

I couldn't stop shivering on my way back from Chiron's. I didn't like how Nico could do that shadow-traveling thing. Regardless, I wouldn't have taken his threat seriously even if Mr. D didn't announce that our Cabins were playing on the same team. As usual, the first 8 Cabins were against the rest, with the exception of Nico because he was a guest. After the second dinner shift ended, everyone made their way back to the Cabins to get ready. I shut the door behind me, pulled on the string that closed the curtain for my dad's statue, and dressed; a black V-neck, cargo shorts, an enchanted cup to protect my precious baby-makers, and a pair of Nike running shoes. In the bathroom, I washed my face and tried to slick back my hair, which I had been growing out. It flopped back over my forehead, and I resolved to find out if the Camp store sold any hair gel.

I made my way to the Hermes Cabin, which was easily the largest in size of the bunch. I was one of the last stragglers in, and the room was already hot and loud. I made my way to the front, as the only rep from the first Cabin. The other representatives were already gathered, making plans while hunched over a table. They looked up at me.

"Sorry I'm late."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Better late than never. We already voted. I'm leading the offence tonight."

No surprise there. I nodded. "What about defense?"

Her boyfriend, Percy Jackson of the Poseidon Cabin, smiled sheepishly. "Me. I pissed her off."

For some reason my heart sped up when he spoke to me, and I wished it wouldn't do that. Again, more rolling of the eyes. "Shut up, seaweed brain."

We spent the next few minutes perfecting the plans, and then Annabeth took to explaining everything to the rest of the team. I hung out in the back, trying not to draw attention to myself. Percy walked over quietly. "Near her is probably not the best place for me right now."

I tried to think clearly, not sure why my brain turned to mush whenever he addressed me. "What'd you do?" Then I added, "I mean, this time?"

A devious grin appeared on his face. "She caught me jacking off… no big deal."

With that, Annabeth finished explaining. The team scattered out the door, on the way to the forest. Percy ran up to Annabeth, who ignored him. _She shouldn't treat him like that_, I thought. _So what if she caught him wanking? _I thought about my ex-girlfriend. I hadn't seen her in a while. Shaking my head to clear my mind, I followed everyone else towards the illuminated forest.


	3. Chapter 2 - Capture the Flag

Chapter 2 - Capture the Flag

_In which our hero suffers a humiliating defeat (those darn teens!), presents Percy Jackson with a leaf (who said romance was dead?), and hears voices in his head._

* * *

"Hold it… Hold it… Now!"

Battle cries exploded throughout the forest, echoing all the way to where our defensive team waited around the flag. We weren't expecting anybody to make it this far, but we were prepared to take them on if they did. Heck, I was prepared to shoot lightning bolts out of my freaking butthole if it came to that.

A faint gurgling sound wafted into my ears, and I turned to look. Percy leaned on the flagpole, water springing from his open palm and falling onto the ground. Mud was beginning to form around him.

"Does someone have a leaking faucet?" I heard somebody joke. Percy ignored them. The person stepped into view, and I saw it was Nico. I wasn't happy to see him, and apparently Percy wasn't either. He didn't acknowledge him. What was going on between them?

A branch suddenly snapped a few yards away, making everyone turn towards the dark forest in front of us. I dropped into a defensive stance, my sword raised. I saw half a dozen others do the same, and Nico vanished. Our ring of torches illuminated a few feet into the dense vegetation, but wasn't strong enough to stop the dancing shadows of the dark. I waited, and I could hear my heart beating in my chest. Shallow breaths. Cold sweat.

Something crashed through the bushes, and I had the good sense to move before it ran me over. Some sort of machine was carving a line straight through us, heading for the flagpole. What was it? Some kind of monster? A contraption built by the opposite team?

By the time I realized it was just two Nyx girls driving an ATV, they had already grabbed the large banner and driven off in the direction they had come from, holding up their middle fingers. None of us moved, just looked at each other. Maybe the offense group would reach them in time before—

"Campers!" Chiron's voice boomed, magically amplified. "Assemble!"

That meant we had lost. An entire group of the strongest Demigods, with magical powers beyond mortal comprehension, had just lost a Capture the Flag game to two girls on an ATV. Great.

* * *

After our stunning defeat, Annabeth wouldn't even look us in the eye. When it was time to award the winning team (chocolate chip cookies, if you were wondering), she stormed off to who-knows-where. I walked over to Percy, who was covered in the mud his watery palm had created before getting knocked into it. "Shouldn't you see where she's going off to?"

Percy's eyes didn't shine so brightly for once. He shrugged, trying to pick a stubborn leaf from his hair. "She doesn't want to talk."

I reached up and grabbed the leaf, presenting it to him. He flashed a brief smile. "Thanks, man."

I smiled back, and for a moment I thought he was going to say something else, but we were interrupted by Chiron. "Off to bed with you lot! No dillydallying, Campers!"

Percy turned to leave, but I placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you want to talk about, you know, stuff, my door's always open."

I didn't wait for a response, instead I hurriedly turned on my heel and left. When I reached my Cabin, I looked at my palm. It was covered in a thin layer of mud.

"Getting dirty with Percy, are we now?"

I turned on the light, and spotted Nico on the other side of the room, his back to me, seemingly admiring my father's statue. Why was he everywhere all of a sudden? "What do you want, Nico? You're not allowed in this Cabin."

He turned around, and for a moment I thought I saw a flash of insanity in his eyes. "Percy doesn't want you. Focus your energies on someone else."

I scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

"I know you know." He vanished, but his voice remained in my head.


	4. Chapter 3 - Demigod Dreams

Chapter 3 - Demigod Dreams

_In which our hero dreams about stuff, does stuff, feels stuff. In other words, it's late and the author doesn't feel like summarizing shit and he can do that because it's his story._

* * *

After showering to wash off the grime of the day, I got into bed, where I lay awake, thinking about what Nico had said. What does he know that I know?

Eventually I gave in to sleep, and when it finally came, it was a dream.

I was on the Camp Half-Blood lakefront, and it was stormy. I remembered that it had been stormy just earlier today. The thing was, the storm was _inside _the Camp, something that shouldn't have been possible. I looked around at the rain, expecting to get soaked, but I remained dry. I looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. I spotted a figure in the water, but they had their back to me. "Hello?" I yelled, struggling to be heard above the wind. "Who are you?"

The person didn't turn back, like they didn't hear me. They just stood there, clothes whipping in the wind. My legs were heavy, but I dragged myself into the water. Again, I didn't get wet. I wadded in a few more feet, and then tried again. "Who are you?"

The figure didn't turn back to face me. It sunk into the waves.

"No!"

I woke up, breathing heavily. When my heartbeat had calmed down enough to focus, I could hear rain on the windows. _Rain on the windows? What the—_

I pulled off the covers, slipped on my sneakers, and walked slowly towards the window. My ears had not deceived me – sheets of rain were coming down, making seeing anything in the night difficult. I went to the door, and opened it slowly. I stuck my hand out, and nearly fainted. The water slid right off me, as if I was protected by a waterproof barrier.

Slowly, I exited the Cabin. Sure enough, no part of me got wet, not even my clothes. My shoes sloshed around in the mud, but other than that I was fine. Then I remembered the dream – I couldn't get wet in there, either.

The figure! I was quickly running towards the lakefront before I knew it. If that aspect of my dream was real, why not the mysterious figure? Maybe I could reach it before it disappeared beneath the waves. Maybe I was meant to.

I saw some other Demigods walking around, trying out this new waterproof ability we had all acquired since going to bed. I kept running, slipping on several occasions. I got back up, determined to reach the figure before—

I was standing on the sand. The waves were even louder than the rain, and I couldn't see anything in front of me. "Hey!" I yelled. "Hey, you! What are you doing here? Hey!"

No reply. I knew I couldn't trust my eyes. I ran into the waves, struggling to stay on my feet. When the water reached higher than my waist, my legs suddenly felt icy cold. I felt my hair get bogged down with the weight of water. Drops slid down my nose and down my cheeks. I could feel water again! Before I had time to process this, a giant wave crashed over me, pulling me under. I tried to stand up, but couldn't. Where was up, anyway? There was no telling. The currents took me further and further away from the surface. I pulled in a breath of water, immediately chocking. I was going to die.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Infirmary

Chapter 4 - The Infirmary

_In which our hero meets all sorts of interesting people, and the author forces them to answer the questions you're surely asking. Or not. I can't control you._

* * *

My head hurt.

This was the first thing that registered when I woke up. The second was that I was alive. This was such good news that I nearly began to cry.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Grace."

I opened my eyes to see Chiron's face over me. The old Centaur looked amused. I groaned. "Where… what happened?"

Chiron chuckled. "You nearly drowned, that's what. What I would like to know is what drove you to go swimming during a storm?"

"Swimming? I was… I was trying to save somebody. There was somebody in the water, and they were going to drown. Oh Gods, please tell me they didn't drown."

He shook his head. "Nobody drowned, my boy."

I closed my eyes, relieved. I heard Chiron slowly walk away, his hoofs making light thumping sounds against the floor. "Let him rest," I heard him tell somebody. "You can talk to him later."

* * *

I had no dreams; nobody drowning, no mysterious figures, nothing at all. I wanted to stay in that peaceful place, but reality was reeling me in. I'd be awake in three, two, one...

My eyes fluttered open, and I looked around me. The Infirmary – I should have figured. That's where they take you when you're all battered up. I wasn't alone, of course. Half a dozen Apollo Campers milled around, checking up on each bed. I felt like crap.

"Hi."

I jumped, startled, and nearly fell off the bed. I turned and saw Percy, sitting in a chair on my other side. "Jeez! You nearly scared me to death."

He smiled and swept his black hair out of his green eyes. "Killing you is exactly the opposite of what I've been doing recently."

I raised an eyebrow in question, and he explained. "Two nights ago the Fleece slipped off the highest part of Thalia's Tree. It still hung on the Tree, but its power was greatly reduced. It meant the storm outside could come in, but the Fleece had enough juice to keep us dry, sort of like my powers. I was taking care of the Hippocampi when I sensed somebody had gone under. You can guess who that was. You stepped out of Camp boundaries, so the currents had their way with you."

"It was you!" I cried, relieve flooding my body. "You were the guy in my dream!"

Percy seemed confused. "Excuse me?"

I realized how strange that must have sounded. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I saw somebody in a dream I had, and they went under the waves. I thought they'd drowned and tried to save them, but I guess it was just you with the, uh, what do you call them?"

"Hippocampi."

"Yeah, those."

He shrugged. "I wasn't the one who needed rescuing."

Anger built up in my chest. "I wouldn't have needed rescuing if you'd answered when I called out to you! That's what people do when they're okay, they answer!"

I immediately regretted lashing out at him, seeing the hurt look on his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that Perce."

He shrugged it off, but I knew I had hurt his feelings. "If you're feeling better, I guess I better go. Annabeth will want to know what's going on."

"You're on good terms again?"

He shook his head. "I think she really doesn't want to work things out this time. Still, doesn't mean I can't try. I'll see you around."

He left, and I almost called out after him. _I hope so_.But then I remembered Nico's warning. Should I take him seriously? What was his deal with Percy? What was _my _deal with Percy?


	6. Chapter 5 - Providing

Chapter 5 - Providing

_In which our hero gets released from the dreaded Infirmary. Also, some irrelevant romantic developments, but that's not interesting, right? RIGHT!?_

* * *

I was left to heal in the Infirmary for another day before Chiron let them discharge me. By then I had driven myself to near insanity with questions. Also, I didn't think I'd enjoy Ambrosia or Nectar ever again.

Of all people, Piper was the one waiting outside the building when I opened the door. I was surprised to see her. "Hi!"

She smiled, but it felt guarded. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Did they tell you what happened?"

She shook her head. "Chiron wouldn't say, and the only thing Percy said was to ask you."

He had kept everything a secret. Why did he do that? Did he not want to embarrass me? Was he being modest? "I, well, it's a long story. How have you been? I haven't seen you around. Not at the Infirmary, I mean, just in general."

She pulled at her shirt sleeves. She looked pretty, but I didn't find myself looking at her the way I used to. What had changed? "Alright. Maybe you want to go talk? Somewhere more private?"

I chuckled. "Not with that Charm Speak, I don't."

"What?" She said, and then cursed in Greek. "Sorry, I swear that it wasn't on purpose. Gods, you've gotten really good at identifying it."

"Practice, I guess. Anyway, maybe later. I think I better go check on my Cabin. See if dad brought me any new siblings."

I was trying to make a joke, but she didn't laugh. She turned and ran towards the strawberry fields, and I felt like the biggest jerk in the world.

* * *

True to his word, my father didn't further populate the Cabin while I was away. Still me, myself, and I. Plus the statue, who I had adoringly nicknamed Kyle. But Kyle didn't count.

"Good to be home," I muttered. I walked over to my bed, which had been made up. A nice smell hung in the air – that's when I knew I wasn't alone.

"Hello?" I called, walking towards the bathroom in the back. "Anybody in there?"

"One sec!" A boy's voice called out, and I let my guard down when I recognized it was Percy. I heard the toilet flush, the sink water run, and then the door opened. He came out, an embarrassed look on his face. "I was checking to see if they'd discharged you yet, but suddenly nature called. Don't worry, I just took a leak."

I felt oddly comfortable with the idea he's been using my bathroom. "Obviously it's not a Number Two – it smells too good in here for that."

"Yeah?" He asked, looking surprised. "I got a new cologne. Dolce and something."

I sniffed the air. "Dolce & Gabbana? It's nice."

He smiled, looking pleased with himself more than anything else. "Thanks. So, happy to be back?"

We walked into the main part of the Cabin. "Yeah." I thought for a moment. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? We barely even talked during the Quest."

He sighed. "I don't know, guy. I guess I've been pretty lonely since Annabeth got mad at me. And now it looks like we're done for. For real."

I sat down on my bunk. "Same with Piper. It's just that the spark isn't there anymore, you know?"

He sat down beside me. "I think they don't realize us guys have needs that need to be met, if you know what I mean."

I laughed, but my heart wasn't in it. What _did _he mean? "I can provide for myself." I thought this sounded mature, maybe even macho, but he didn't seem to think so. He burst into laughter. "What's so funny?"

After recomposing himself, he said, "I'm sure you can, big guy. Hey, if Annabeth and I really are over, maybe you could provide for me."

It took me a second to process this. My heart sped up. WHAT. WAS. HAPPENING?

I did the only thing I could. I leaned over and kissed him smack on the lips.


	7. Chapter 6 - Regrets

Chapter 6 - Regrets

_In which our hero has some downtime to reflect on what he's done. Sort of like you in the third grade. I know what you did, so don't bother denying it._

* * *

"What the fuck, dude!" Percy pushed me off him, standing up. "I didn't actually mean it!"

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit. Oh, shit. Shit from above, shit from below, shit from the sea. So much shit. I stood up, too. "I'm sorry! I just got really confused and—"

Percy shut me up with a kiss. His eyes closed tight, and I stared – shocked – at his face, which was so close that it was out of focus. His hand found my cheek, and his scent filled my nose. I focused on my lips – what were they feeling? They were feeling… incredible.

He slowly pulled away, breathing heavily, looking down at the floor. "I don't… let's not do that again, okay?"

I nodded briefly, although every part of me wanted to protest. Did my breath stink? Was I a really bad kisser? I mean, Piper never complained, but Percy wasn't Piper. Percy wasn't even a girl! "Yeah. Okay."

He left quickly, and I sat down heavily on the bed.

* * *

I didn't notice my visitor until he spoke. "You've got little lightning bolts around your head. What's on your mind, partner?"

Leo stood at the door, his leather apron still on. Grease covered his face and hands, and his hair had recently been cut. I hadn't seen him in a long time, but right now I wasn't in the mood to chat. "Just… stuff."

He leaned in the doorway. "Anything you want to talk about? Girl problems, maybe?"

"No!" It came out as a yell, and he backed away quickly.

"Okay, grumpy." He closed the door, and I shut my eyes. I didn't want to talk to anyone about what had happened, except for Percy. I needed to find out what it meant. I had kissed him first, but then he kissed me. Were we even? Could he blame this on me?

And what about the whole part where I KISSED A BOY? I wasn't gay! At least, I didn't think so; I've had sex with plenty of girls before, and I had been in a serious relationship with one just earlier this month. So, what the hell?

* * *

I skipped dinner. And the campfire. I didn't want to get up from my bed. I stared at the ceiling, wishing for answers. Obviously, they didn't come.

I had brushed my teeth twice already, trying to wash away the feeling of Percy Jackson's lips. My head was so confused, it nearly exploded.

There was a knock on the door, and I looked at the time – 10:45 PM. "Go away."

Another knock. "I said, go away!"

This time, whoever it was listened. I heard footsteps leading away from the Cabin. I sighed, and a tear rolled down my cheek. What had I done?


	8. Chapter 7 - Butch

Chapter 7 - Butch

_In which our hero meets up with the manliest homosexual man in the Demigod world. Also, do you ever wonder if same-sex marriage is acceptable within the Demigod community, or is it just me?_

* * *

On Sunday, I had a sword-fighting class to teach. I went through the motions of getting ready, but I felt empty inside. It was as if Percy had sucked out my soul with his kiss.

The younger Campers whispered quietly when I arrived at the Arena, looking at me eagerly. I looked at them, and then at the swords they held. I sighed. "I'll be in the booth. Go wild."

That morning I broke the record of sending the most kids ever to the Informatory in a single class. I didn't care. I needed to talk to somebody. But who would understand? Who could help me?

Then it dawned on me. Butch.

* * *

"You kissed a dude!?"

"Shhhh!" I hushed him. "That's the whole idea of keeping it a secret!"

He chuckled. "You've got bigger problems than a secret, Jason. You've got feelings for your friend, whoever he is."

I put my head between my hands. "I know. It's killing me."

Butch sat down across from me, the wooden arts & crafts table separating us. "Why?"

I looked up at him and saw that he was being serious. "Because I'm not gay."

"Say that you were. Would that be so horrible?"

"Yes!" I said. "It's not bad that you're gay, that's not what I'm saying. I mean, it'd be bad if I was! And I'm not!"

He narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"

I hesitated for too long, and that's all he needed for an answer. "That's what I thought. I suggest you talk to him about it."

I sighed, looking at the bottles of paint in front of me as if they had answers printed on their labels. "That's what I was afraid you'd say."


	9. Chapter 8 - Confronting Percy

Chapter 8 - Confronting Percy

_In which our hero INSERT CHAPTER SUMMARY HERE, YOU LAZY TURD._

* * *

Come on, Jason, you can do this. You've got this. Let's go.

I knocked on the door. Lightly, because it was nearly curfew. The Fleece had been moved back to where it belonged, so instead of a cold September wind, the air was warm. Still, I shivered. I waited, looking at the driftwood door, then at the ground. My sneakers were dirty. Should I go clean them? I mean, Percy wasn't opening…

"Jason? Can I help you?"

I lost the ability to speak. I stared at Percy. He was approximately my height, but he was slimmer than I was. That's not to say that he wasn't muscular – his arms bulged from under his white T-shirt. He was wearing plaid blue PJ pants, barefooted. His hair was messy, begging to be brushed. He prodded with his gaze, and I finally remembered how to talk. "Um, hi. Can I come in? I need to talk to you."

He tensed. "About what?"

I gave a look that said, _are you really going to make me do this?_ I sighed. "Listen, Percy, I can't stop thinking about those, you know, kisses. I mean, I know I shouldn't, but I just can't. So I'd like to talk to you."

He looked up at the ceiling, closing his eyes for a moment. I felt miserable.

"Fine," he said at last. "Take your shoes off at the door. I don't need the inspection people getting all up in my face about dirt in the Cabin."

I followed him. The sound of water filled the quiet room, and some sort of fountain glowed faintly in blue light, emitting a light mist. Of the two beds in the room, the larger one was made. "Tyson's away?"

He nodded. "Haven't seen him in weeks." He looked at the fountain. "Maybe I'll send him a message."

"After we talk?"

"Yeah. After we talk."

We both stood, him with his arms crossed, me looking around the space to try to kill time. "I, uh, talked to Butch today."

His eyes widened. "What!? About us? Dude, you can't go around—"

"Chill!" I cut him off. "I didn't tell him your name. I wouldn't do that."

He relaxed. "Sorry. It's just that I wouldn't want people finding out."

I felt offended, even though I shouldn't be. "You really regret it that much?"

He sat on his bed and pulled his legs up. "I don't know how I feel about it. I mean, I've never doubted my sexuality before. But when you kissed me, something snapped, and I wanted to keep going. I… Annabeth would kill me if she ever found out."

"She won't," I said sternly. "I won't betray your trust. Plus, I thought you said you were done."

"I guess… and I'll hold it to you, Grace."

Silence settled over us for a moment. Things were going well enough. I mean, in Demigod terms. If they weren't, there would be an electrical storm in here right now. "So… that's it?"

He looked at me, with his sea-green eyes. He had long lashes and small lips. He sported a thin line of stubble, like he might have shaved a couple days ago. "If you want it to be."

My heart sped up, and I felt my ears get hot. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "We could try kissing again; see if we feel the way we felt at first."

I couldn't hold myself back. So what if Butch was right? So what if I was a little bit gay? "Yeah," I managed. "I'd like that."


	10. Chapter 9 - Kisses

Chapter 9 - Kisses

_In which our hero partakes in plenty a mouth sharing. Also did you know that the author still hasn't had his first kiss? Isn't that tragic?_

* * *

We kissed that night in front of the glowing fountain. It was the same deal as the first time; his eyes closed tight and me staring at his face, which was so close that it was out of focus. His hand on my cheek, and his natural scent filling my nose. The spark was definitely there.

We kissed the next morning before breakfast, hidden behind a wall in the Dining Pavilion. We kissed during our free time, sitting on top of the arts & crafts table in the woods. We kissed outside the Hephaestus Cabin while everyone else was at the campfire. When they came looking for us, we stopped.

Nico had disappeared, which I was grateful for. I didn't know what was up with him, but I didn't want him to interfere.

By the third day, I felt insane from the passion I had when our bodies connected. I cried into my pillow that night. What was happening to me? I'd never thought I'd be so in love with a boy… In love. I was in love with Percy.


	11. Chapter 10 - A Night to Remember

Chapter 10 - A Night to Remember

_In which our hero lives out the sexual fantasies of the virgin author. #Cool._

* * *

On Wednesday, I knew I couldn't take it anymore. When I kissed Percy behind the bleachers in the Arena, I felt sensations into other parts of my body, not just my lips. I pulled back, and he opened his eyes. "Tonight?"

He nodded faster than I'd ever seen anyone nod before. I closed the space between us again, and this time I was the one who closed my eyes.

* * *

At midnight, my alarm went off, and I quickly shut it. I was already dressed; I had paid special attention to what I was wearing, how my hair looked, and how I smelled. Looking around, my heart beating loudly in my ears, I quietly left my Cabin.

Two buildings over, the door was already open a crack. I pushed it in, closed it behind me, and turned on the lights. Percy wasn't in his bed.

"Perce?"

"In the bathroom!"

"Should I wait?"

"Give me a minute."

I stood awkwardly at the door, figuring out if I wanted to leave. I stayed. I went to bathroom, leaned on the wall facing its door.

A few minutes later, Percy came out. He wore colorful Hurley boarding shorts, which cut off right above the knees. He had short dark leg hair, leading down to bare feet. He wore a tank top, and with his dark black hair he looked like he had just come back from riding a skateboard in some parking lot. "What?"

I didn't move. "Let me just look at you for a minute."

I took all of him in, from top to bottom. I loved the way he swayed from side to side, a nervous habit I've noticed about him. Now that his arms were uncovered, I could properly admire his muscles. His face looked about two years younger than it should have, but it was adorable. I finally met his eyes. "You're beautiful."

His cheeks lit up. "Never been called that before."

I shrugged. "Haven't been hanging around the right people, then."

I could see some deep thoughts running behind his eyes, but he tried to play it cool. "Do you want to, like…" He trailed off. "Shit, man. What _do _you want to do?"

I looked around us. "The current setting doesn't really trigger any feelings. Can we go back to the beds?"

We moved, and he asked me again. "Whatever you want to. We don't have to do anything. I'd be happy with just kissing."

He looked relieved. "Okay. I like kissing."

He stretched out on the bed, and I climbed over him, lowering my face. He had his eyes closed in anticipation, and I paused to look at him, breathed him in. He was wearing his cologne tonight. I made our lips touch, but only lightly, more like a breath than a touch, teasing him. I liked this position; I had total control.

When we kissed for real, I felt Percy's tongue against my flesh. What was he doing? We'd never used tongues in our kisses before. That seemed too… gay. But now, straddling him, kissing, I didn't mind. Heck, for all I cared tomorrow Butch could paint my nails and take me to NYC Pride. Right now, I needed Percy's body, which thankfully included his tongue. I parted my lips a bit, enough to let the curious muscle in. To say that our tongues wrestled would be wrong. They danced, gently. I feared hurting him, and he feared hurting me. We both feared the entire world that was outside this Cabin.

I pulled back for breath. "How's that?"

"Perfect," he said breathlessly. He brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You look… handsome."

I smiled, and gave him a long, deep kiss. I rolled to the side.

"What else do you want to do?"

I realized that I'd have to take control from this point, at least until Percy got the idea. "I think it's getting pretty hot in here. Is it alright if I take my shirt off?"

He nodded eagerly. I began to pull my light blue polo up, but he stopped me. "Wait. I want to do it."

It was awkward, but I let him. He slowly got the fabric off me, running his hands on my body. His hands were cold, and I shivered.

"Sorry," he said.

"Don't stop."

More touching. Piper had never touched my chest like this. I guess she didn't find it interesting as certain _other_ parts of me. She'd never even realized that—

"Aw, fuck!"

The words were involuntary, muttered the moment Percy ran his icy fingers on my nipples. He grinned, looking up at me from his perch on the mattress. "You like that?"

I didn't have to respond. He realized he'd found my weakness – my nipples. He slowly turned them over between his index fingers and thumbs, pinching lightly. They had hardened, and I was feeling pure ecstasy. It felt just like the countless times I've touched myself, only better. Then he did something I could never do on my own; he brought his mouth to them.

The feeling was unlike anything I've felt before. He sucked on them as if he was hoping to breastfeed, but lovingly. The nerves in my nips tingled, and I rolled my head back, closed my eyes, and ran my hands through Percy's hair, which was as soft as his lips. I gasped when he bit down on the left one.

He looked up. "I don't know which of us is enjoying this more."

There he was, trying to pleasure me. He was succeeding, too. I couldn't stand it anymore – I had to get his clothes off. "Shirt. Now."

He grinned at my aggressiveness. The moment the tank top was off, I attached myself to his light pink nipples. They were smaller than mine, a sign he hadn't played with them before. This will be fun for him.

I ran my tongue slowly on his right areola, earning a shiver. I pushed his back down against the mattress, and though my attention was on the pink stumps in front of me, I could feel something against my leg. Something elongated and… hard.

I could have spent hours on Percy's nipples, but I knew he wanted more. His eyes opened, almost in question. _Why'd you stop?_

I grinned. "Let's get your pants off."

Our expressions were like those of kids. Eager, inexperienced, excited. The idea that at any time someone could walk in turned me on even more. I grabbed Percy's shorts and wiggled him out of them, throwing them where our shirts already formed a pile of naughty laundry. He wore plaid Hollister boxers, pink and blue and orange and green. So many colors, and so pretty. His package – Percy's package –bulged in the front. I ran my hand on the leg of the shorts, finding it was a rough fabric. Percy moaned quietly, and it sounded like he was begging me for more. I held myself back, instead continuing to feel everything but his manhood.

I slipped a finger in through the front slit, and almost pulled my hand back out when I touched something. I'd never touched anybody's penis beside my own, but I liked feeling it without seeing it. If Percy's expression matched his thoughts, he liked it too. I slipped the rest of my hand in. Back and forth, back and forth, I felt the length of his large hardness through the opening in the plaid fabric as if it were my own. I felt his soft pubes, his foreskin, and his wrinkly balls sack, which felt very full. He pushed against my hand in small humping motions. My own erection pushed up against my jeans.

"I want to see what you're working with," Percy said, and I was almost startled to remember he was there. "Take your pants off." Then he added, "Please."

Even in bed he was being polite. I was suddenly struck with fright. What if he didn't like what he saw? What if, you know, I wasn't big enough? Would he care? Were we even going to do anything besides just touch? That's all I wanted right now – to touch him through his boxers forever.

I stood up, and began to unbuckle my leather belt. "Alright," I said, and then added. "But only because you asked nicely."

With my belt off, I leaned over Percy for another kiss. He ran his hand through my hair, which I never realized I like until now. Hands over my nips, we kissed for a moment. Then I straightened up and pulled the ripped jeans off quickly. I began to fold them, but Percy snickered. "Don't worry about that."

Damn it, I made a fool of myself. I hoped my cheeks wouldn't go as bright as my boxers. Bright pink American Eagle shorts, with a white bird motif. I suddenly thought of something.

"Wanna see something cool?"

He nodded, and I ran over to the door, turned off the lights. My boxers glowed.

"Whoa!" I heard Percy exclaim. "That's sick. Come closer, I wanna feel."

My heart pounded loudly in my ears, and I stumbled across the room to the bed. I stood over Percy, and felt his hand reach straight for my dick. I gasped.

"Even better up close," Percy murmured. "Shit, you're big."

Relief and pleasure ran through my veins. My knees nearly buckled at the touch. He ran his hand across the glowing fabric, along the shaft, avoiding the head. My eyes adjusted to the dark. "Percy?"

"Yeah?" He asked, not stopping.

"Do we have to do anything else?"

Silence. Did I offend him? "No," he said. "We don't."

What was I thinking? Was I turning down potential sex? Yeah, I guess I was. I didn't want that right now. I wanted to stay this way for life, in our shorts, in the dark. Feeling, touching, kissing. Percy understood. _Percy understood._


	12. Chapter 11 - Nico's Warning Comes True

Chapter 11 - Nico's Warning Comes True

_In which our hero faces death. Well, his son. Sometimes you think you're getting one thing, but you're really getting another. Like crisps and air._

* * *

I woke up early, and the first thing that registered was that I was clothed. Well, partially; my boxers were still on, and when I looked at Percy, I saw his were too. At this early hour, the fact that he – the son of the Sea God – wore Hollister boxers, and that I – the son of the Sky God – wore American Eagle ones, amused me.

Memories came flooding back and I closed my eyes, relishing what had happened all over again. I noticed Percy's arm around me – did we fall asleep like that? I didn't want to move, but I had to.

"Hey," I whispered in his ear. "Wake up."

He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. His hair was a mess, but I was sure I was no better. "What time is it?"

I shrugged. "Early. Is it alright if I shower here?" I knew we both must have been sweaty and gross.

He nodded, and closed his eyes again. I cleared my throat. "Arm?"

He quickly retracted it, and I walked quietly to the bathroom. I turned the hot water on, removed my boxers, and stepped in.

I slowly shampooed my hair, and began washing my body with the bottle of Old Spice body wash he had. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door opened, and Percy stumbled in, pulling open the curtain. My hands quickly reached for my junk, hiding it. "Um, kinda busy here?"

He shrugged. "I licked your nipples last night. I don't think you're _that _conscious in front of me."

The truth of the statement stung, but I decided to ignore it. Besides, he was right. "So what, you're gonna get in here with me?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I think I'll just watch."

Watch me shower? That turned me on, and I felt my cock stir. Not an erection, not here, not now…

I decided that if Percy wanted to watch, I'll let him. I let my hands down and continued to lather my body. My dick had swollen up, straight onto my stomach, the head peeking from beneath my thick foreskin. I met his gaze every few moments, and when I did we both smiled shyly, but didn't say anything. Just the sound of the rushing water.

A couple minutes passed before I saw Percy's hand go into his boxers. I could make out the shape of his penis, but he didn't reveal anything. I just saw the hand move in there, gradually picking up speed, watching me. The way it made his uncovered chest muscles move enchanted me. A few moments later, Percy's grimaced and moaned, and then his hand stopped pumping. He stood there a few more moments, eyes closed in pleasure. My balls ached for release too, but I knew that if I got it I wouldn't want to be here any longer. "Done now?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I think I'll get in there with you now."

* * *

I didn't have an appetite at breakfast. In fact, I felt like throwing up. Everything I'd done swirled around in my head, and the fact I still hadn't had release nagged away at me.

I cleared my plate and left for my Cabin, eager to get jerk off and then stay in bed until my afternoon class. Imagine my surprise when I saw Nico waiting there.

I groaned. "Not now, Nico."

He looked angry. "I warned you."

I raised my eyebrow. "About?"

"Percy!"

Shit. He knew. I pushed him inside. "Listen here, buddy, you tell anyone and—"

"And what? You'll kill me?" He snickered. "I'm the son of the Death God! So _you _listen here, _buddy_. I want you gone. ASAP. You're messing with powers you don't know about – dark powers. Something big is about to happen. And I don't want you in the middle of it when it does."

He wasn't making sense. Dark powers? "Why don't you just tell me what you're going off about?"

He took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll tell you. But believe me when I say you'll wish I hadn't."

Something told me he was right, but curiosity filled me.

"In two days, the oceans will disappear."

I couldn't help myself. I smiled. "What?"

"You think it's funny? I don't mean 'global warming' disappear. I mean, the Underworld will open up and swallow Poseidon's realm."

Suddenly things didn't seem that funny. "Two days?"

He nodded. "That's how long it'll take the workers to finish the crack."

I was becoming more confused with every passing moment. "What workers?"

"My dad's! You know how it is – Big Three, ego clashes, etcetera? But when the crack is finished, the ceiling of the Underworld will no longer be able to support the weight of the water. It'll come crashing down into Tartarus – and so will Poseidon."

"Which puts Percy in danger."

"Yes, and no. When the ocean drains, there will be a power imbalance. Not only between the Gods, but between their kids as well. And since my dad will be gaining Poseidon's powers, I'll be the one at an advantage. I'll be taking Percy downstairs, if you catch my drift. He'll be out of harm's way."

I began to back away. "You're crazy. There's no way anything like that can happen."

"Oh yeah? It already is happening. As we speak, a war of the Gods is about to break."

"What will you do with him?"

He sneered. "What you've been wanting to do with him all this time."

My stomach churned. "Wanted to do?"

"I've seen the way you look at him, asshole! But Percy's mine!"

That meant he didn't know about any of the stuff we've done. This gave me an idea.

"Fine," I said. "I'll leave. I won't get in your way."

He smiled triumphantly, and I wanted to pounce on him. If only I had my sword…

"Cheer up, Jason. At least it's not your daddy we're after."

He vanished, probably shadow-travelling back to his dad's. My blood boiled, but I knew I had to act. The time for action was now.


	13. Chapter 12 - A Daring Escape

Chapter 12 - A Daring Escape

_In which our hero tries to avoid certain doom, the way I do with algebra tests._

* * *

Thoughts that ran through my mind when I tried to figure out how to save Camp: is my hair alright? Where is my toothbrush? Why am I so freaking horny?

I knew I had to protect Percy, there was no question about it. If Nico wanted him, it meant I had to stop him. Romantics aside, he was my friend. What about Piper, do I let her in on it too? Heck, I might as well tell the entire Camp. I couldn't though, not realistically. I was counting on the idea that Nico wouldn't notice us if I went about this carefully, but he'd surely realize that something was up if everyone started running around like headless chickens. I knew he had gone over the edge, helping his dad take down Poseidon. How did my dad not already know about this? I didn't have time to dwell on the subject. I had to gather everyone.

Finding the Head Counselors of each Cabin proved to be an impossible task. For starters, they were scattered all over the place, and some were even away on Quests – or worst, visiting relatives. I couldn't even find Percy at the lakefront. As I stood, scouring the water, remembering the stormy night that got me involved in this whole mess, I felt that someone was looking at me. I turned and made out Nico's shape in the shadow of a lifeguard station.

"I told you to get out of here."

I noticed his sword, looking as dangerous as any I'd ever seen. I tried to remain calm. "I'm leaving. Just getting a good last look around before you destroy it all."

He didn't find it humorous. "Ten minutes. If you're not out of here by then, I'm sending in Hellhounds to rip you to shreds."

I nodded, and he vanished again. I hated when he did that. I ran to my Cabin, ignoring curious onlookers. Inside, I grabbed a pen and scribbled on a notepad.

_I had to leave. Please find me. Follow the light. Don't let Nico see you._

Cryptic? Sure. But there were Hellhounds on the way, so I had better things to do then write directions. I grabbed a quickly-packed bag, and ran.

* * *

My plan had been to make my way to New York City and shoot lightning bolts into the sky to alert Percy of my whereabouts. The only problem was that it was another stormy, thunderous night.

I walked in the street, holding up an umbrella that occasionally flipped inside out and wishing I was back in California with the rest of the Romans. To their credit, the New Yorkers didn't seem fazed by the strange kid with the umbrella. I was almost revealed when lightning hit my umbrella and I didn't so much as notice. A woman next to me started screaming, and I realized she wasn't used to shockproof teenage guys. I ran in the other direction.

By morning, I was tired, hungry, and angry. Who was Nico to kick me out of Camp? Who was Percy to not come looking for me? Who was Zeus for not noticing that his son was in desperate need of help…

I wanted so badly to give up, but I knew I couldn't. I needed to find mist.

I found some, in the form of a dry cleaning shop. The Chinese lady up front screamed and ran to the back when I pulled out my sword, presumably to get security. I didn't plan to be around that long. I threw a Drachma into the mist of a portable iron, and made my call. I hoped someone would pick up. 'Come on,' I muttered, urging Percy to answer. Would he be in the Cabin? Or maybe he was at the Dining Pavilion for breakfast?

The mist rippled, and an image appeared. The background was Percy's Cabin, which meant the strange fountain worked. But it wasn't Percy who answered. It was his half-brother, Tyson.

"Jason!" Tyson yelled, and tried to hug me.

"Hey, big guy. What are you doing there?"

"Daddy sent all the Cyclops away! Says he has to visit Zeus!"

Did that mean Poseidon knew about Hades's plan? Regardless, he'd be out of harm's way. "Is Percy there?"

"No!" he said cheerfully. "Percy is looking for you!"

I slapped my palm against my forehead. "Where?"

He shrugged. I took a deep breath. "Okay, I need you to get a message out to him somehow. Tell him I'll be waiting at Time Square, alright?"

"Sure thing, Jason! Bye, Jason!"

He waved through the mist and the image disappeared, and I headed out. Good timing, too, because I heard somebody come rushing in from the back. I didn't wait to greet them.


	14. Chapter 13 - A Satisfying Ending

Chapter 13 - A Satisfying Ending

_In which our hero wraps up the story nicely because the author is tired of this project and needs to move on to bigger and better things, like life._

* * *

I suppose Tyson found a way to contact Percy, because he showed up. I didn't know what time it was when he did, which was perhaps ironic since I was in Time Square. I saw him from afar, perched on Tyson's shoulders; don't even ask what the mortals saw, because I couldn't tell you. They neared, and I saw that they weren't alone. Annabeth was there, as well as Piper. How had such a group snuck out of Camp unnoticed, by Nico or Chiron? Better yet, how had he convinced both our ex's to come? I noticed a certain smell coming from them, and it wasn't Percy's cologne. Their pant legs were stained, as if they'd been walking in the mud. Piper ran over and hugged me, and I tried not to push her away.

"You look like shit," Percy noted when I finally pulled back.

I gave him a death glare. "And you smell like it."

He shrugged. "So, what are we doing here again?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said, crossing her arms across her chest. "Remind me why I had to trek to the middle of New York City through the sewers."

"I like the sewers!" Tyson exclaimed.

I almost laughed when I realized Percy smuggled them through the NYC sewer system. I explained everything, leaving out the entire Percy/me thing. At first the group showed disbelieve. Then fear, then anger.

Percy just seemed confused. "I don't particularly like him, but Nico wouldn't do that—"

"I'm not lying, Perce! If I just wanted some attention, I wouldn't have done it here."

People milled around us, not caring. That's why the Gods chose this as HQ, I realized.

Piper, her face laced with anger, asked, "What do we do?"

"I don't know," I admitted. I looked at Annabeth. "That's where you come in."

She shrugged. "I figured. Can we find some place to sit down? I need to think."

Everyone began to walk away to find a Dunkin Donuts, but I stayed behind. I felt exhausted. Percy, who had gotten down from Tyson's shoulders, came over. "Are you okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "I've had better days. I think I'll just go sit down on that bench over there. You lot tell me when you figure out how to save the world."

I hated that we were acting as if nothing had ever happened between us. Was that the way he felt? Did he wish nothing had happened?

He tenderly brushed my hair to the side. "Thanks for looking out for me."

I shrugged it off. "You'd do the same."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I would."

"You better go catch up with the rest of them."

"They can wait. There's something I've got to do first."

I raised an eyebrow in question and began to protest, but Percy shut me up with a kiss. His eyes were closed tight, and I stared at his face, which was so close that it was out of focus. His hand found my cheek, and I somehow ignored the smell. I suddenly felt sure that we'd figure it out; we'd save the world just like we had in the past. But now… now I just needed a nap. I pulled away, and smiled at him. "Thanks, I needed that."

He smiled back. "Anytime. When all of this is over, I think we should talk. About us."

He ran to join the group, and cast a last look at me. I waved, and then they were gone. Undoubtedly they'd find me soon, tell me all about how we were to stop the evil Death God from destroying the world… but that could wait. That bench looked mighty inviting.

* * *

* * * THE END * * *


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